Moving floor systems are conveyors that consist of an array of side-by-side floor slats that reciprocate back-and-forth. Typically, all of the slats move in one direction at the same time while carrying a load. Then, a lesser number of slats (usually one third) are moved in the opposite direction back underneath the load. This is repeated sequentially until all of the slats have been returned to the initial position, with the lesser number of slats sliding underneath the load, because they have a smaller area of frictional contact with the load.
Conveyors of the above type are well-known. The floor slats are usually made from aluminum extrusions although, in some cases, they may be made from roll-formed steel.
Typically, a slat will have a hollow cross-section. At the end of the conveyor, it is not desirable to leave slat cross-sections open. For example, in those cases where a moving floor is used to unload bulk materials like sawdust or silage, it is not desirable to allow these materials to enter the ends of the floor slats as the material off-loads from one end of the conveyor.
For this reason, end caps or end plugs (or “plugs”) are usually inserted into the ends of the conveyor floor slats in order to close them off. These plugs are fastened to the floor slat by bolts or by welding, which can require skilled labor. Because of labor issues, there has been a need to develop a simpler way to connect the end plugs to the floor slats.
The following discloses an improved end plug design that is easy to attach to a floor slat.